With Roses Come Thorns
by Miss Pookamonga
Summary: CHAP 4 UP AT LAST! I HAVE UPDATED! Jane finds a mysterious present in her room one day from a secret admirer, and that one event sets into motion a series of events that will send Jane spiraling into territory she has never dared to explore...
1. The Surprise

_Dear Readers,_

_My first Jane and the Dragon fanfic! An unexpected pairing...please R&R! Thanks!_

_Best Regards from a Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga ;-P_

_TWHACK_! The sound resounded through the early afternoon air like the crack of a whip. Another loud _thwack_ followed it as Jane's stave smacked into Gunther's in mid-air. Jane and Gunther had been fighting for what seemed like hours, and neither of them showed any sign of stopping soon. The spectators—Jester, Dragon, Princess Lavinia, and Smithy's pig—had grown weary of watching the fight long ago, and were now lackadaisically looking on, yawning every now and then (except for Smithy's pig, who just snorted). The only reason none of them left altogether was because they didn't want to insult Jane and lower her morale—especially if she was around Gunther.

"Oh, give up, Jane! We've been at it for almost an hour, and you obviously have shown no signs of beating me anytime soon," sneered Gunther mockingly as he danced around Jane, waving his stave threateningly in the air.

"_Almost_ an _hour_?" moaned Dragon incredulously. "Are you sure you've been keeping track of the time correctly, Gunther? Because I honestly think you two have been fighting since lunchtime. Which was…yes, three hours ago."

Gunther ignored the comment and snickered at Jane. "Come on, Jane. Aren't you tired?" His lips curled into a sly grin.

"I-am-dis-inclined-to listen-to your—_ugh_—subtly—_umph_—insulting remarks," heaved Jane as she parried several blows from her competitor. She had to admit to herself, she was extremely exhausted, but her stubborn pride would not allow her to be beaten yet again by her slick-mouthed nemesis. Gunther had been especially sharp today with his remarks about Jane and her fighting skills, and she was not about to let him get away with his ceaseless taunting. Still, she did wish that she could break to have one drink of cool water and feel it slide down her parched throat, which was burning like a raw sore…

"Ahhh-HA!" cried Gunther suddenly. Jane felt a rough shove and then toppled backwards onto the hard ground. "Distracted, were you? I thought you were the one who was lecturing me on the importance of focus earlier, if I recall correctly," teased Gunther, still wearing his mocking grin.

"Owww," groaned Jane as she slowly got to her feet. She looked Gunther in the eye and frowned, her eyes boring into his with no mercy. "You're a despicable snake, you know," she spat angrily. She knew that Gunther was a better fighter than she, but why did he have to make everything worse by constantly insulting her? _If he wasn't so cruel with his words, I wouldn't have a reason to keep challenging him like this, _thought Jane, her heart flaming with fury. _If he just showed respect for me, I would have nothing to prove to him._

"Ah, ah, ah, Jane," chided Gunther in a light voice, wagging his finger at her. "Watch your mouth." His grin widened.

"Why don't _you_ watch _your_ mouth first? You-you—"

"All right, all _right_. I do think that's enough fighting for one day. Now leave Jane alone, Gunther, and get on with whatever other nonsense you have to do," growled Dragon in annoyance, marching right between the two and shooting a nasty look at Gunther. The boy shrugged and walked briskly away, placing his stave in its proper place and then proceeding toward the garden.

"Ugh! I can't _stand_ him!" cried Jane in frustration, thrusting her stave to the ground in anger. "Why does he have to be so mean to me?" She tried as hard as she could to keep her voice from wavering, but to no avail. Dragon, Jester, Lavinia, and even Smithy's pig could obviously see that she had tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh, Jane, don't listen to Gunther," said Lavinia comfortingly, giving Jane an affectionate hug. "He's just a big…bully."

"I do believe the little princess is right," agreed Jester with a nod of his head (and a jingle of his hat's bells). "Gunther is nothing but a bully. And bullies—well, you needn't worry about them, Jane. They are either too proud or too insecure for their own good. So they take it out on good people like you."

Jane managed a small smile and sniffed. "Thank you," she said quietly. "It's nice to know I have such loyal friends."

"And why wouldn't you?" said Dragon, smiling broadly. "You're a wonderful, brilliant girl, and just as easily likeable. That old prat over there must be blind or something not to see how great you are."

Jane's smile widened. "I guess you're right," she said with a sigh. She picked up her staff then straightened her posture. "After all, Gunther doesn't know who I really am. Why should I let him bring me down?"

"Atta girl, Jane," cried Jester happily, as he patted her on the shoulder. "Besides, it was an excellent fight. You did ward him off very well. Now, I'm afraid I must be running off with Smithy's pig. He shall be expecting it back by now, you know." And with that, he skipped off jingling, Smithy's fig following in close pursuit.

"Wait for me!" yelled Lavinia excitedly, hopping after them. She was probably expecting to hear some of Jester's better jokes sometime soon.

"Well, that certainly was quite an afternoon," remarked Dragon with a rather large yawn. "I think I ought to have a nap now."

"You've done nothing but sit down for an hour!" cried Jane, laughter in her voice.

"Yes, watching you and that prig battle each other endlessly. I say, I was getting tired looking at you two."

"Well, I imagine so. Still, think of how tired I am!" chuckled Jane. "_I'm_ the one who needs a good nap!"

Dragon yawned again and laid his head down on the ground. "Suit yourself, Jane. Why don't you go ahead to your bedchamber and do just that."

"I think I will," said Jane, letting out a large breath of air. "See you later, Dragon," she called as she headed toward her bedchamber.

"Mmmph," mumbled Dragon, who was already half-asleep.

Climbing the steps to her chamber was more work than usual for Jane because she was so exhausted, and she was more than overjoyed to finally reach the comfort of her bed. She fell backwards onto the covers and sprawled out over the bed, basking in its softness. It was only when she turned her head toward her window that she saw something peculiar sitting on the windowsill.

Curious, although very tired, Jane sat up and slid off the bed. She walked over to her window and gasped in surprise and confusion when she saw what was there.

Sitting in the corner of her windowsill, was a blossomed red rose.


	2. Discussion and Uncomfortable Speculation

_Dear Readers,_

_CHAPTER 2 finally is up! Hope you enjoy...fluffiness to come in later chapters! Read and review, and happy new year!_

_Best Regards from a Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga ;-P_

Jane stared at the rose for a minute, then gingerly picked it up in her fingers. She was completely shocked. She knew that the only way the rose could have gotten on her windowsill was if someone had put it there. But who would leave her a red rose? Giving someone a red rose was a very forward expression of love and affection (at least, that's what Jane's mother had told her). And just thinking of the idea that someone had feelings for her was beyond Jane's comprehension. Who liked her enough that he would leave her a red rose? Who would be brave enough to so blatantly express his feelings for her?

Jane ran through the options in her mind, but none of them seemed to make any sense. There was Smithy, but he was too much older than she. Rake was a possibility, but no, he couldn't be the one, because he was obviously smitten with Pepper. Dragon would definitely not do something like this, and he would have absolutely no reason to because—well, because he was a dragon. And the prince—Jane laughed at this thought—he was just too young to think of giving such a serious present to any girl. That only left Jester and Gunther, both of which Jane could not imagine doing something so romantic. Jester was too scatterbrained, and if he ever did try to woo any girl, it would be by telling jokes and serenading her outside her window. And Gunther—well, he was out of the question, because he obviously did not like Jane very much, especially because she was his competition.

Jane sighed in frustration. Figuring out this mystery was going to be harder than she thought. Not that she had even been anticipating any of this to happen in the first place. Jane figured that she should talk to Dragon about it—but after her nap. She placed the rose in a small vase and filled it with water from her leather canteen. Then she lay back down on the bed and fell fast asleep.

When Jane awoke, she was surprised to see sunlight pouring through her window. She had been expecting it to be dark by dinnertime. _I haven't slept all the way till morning, have I? _Jane asked herself.

"Morning, sleepyhead," came Dragon's voice suddenly from the window.

"Oh, Dragon! It's morning already?" Jane said sleepily.

"Yes, it is! And a beautiful one, isn't it? Slept right through dinner, you did, like a rock. I tried waking you up but you were out cold."

"Ohh, my head hurts," groaned Jane, putting a hand on her forehead.

"If you ask me, I think you should go easy on the stick-fighting or whatever it is you do every day," Dragon said matter-of-factly. "You're going to wear yourself out if you don't."

Jane sighed. "I suppose so," she replied. "Although I was looking forward to fighting Gunther in another match."

"Oooh, does someone like our sarcastic knight friend?" teased Dragon in a silly voice.

"What are you talking about? All I said was that I wanted to practice sparring with him," retorted Jane, trying her hardest not to sound angry.

"Well, you spend an awful lot of time sparring with him," said Dragon in a somewhat mocking tone. "I'm beginning to think you rather enjoy it."

"I do," answered Jane hotly.

"Aha!"

"Not like _that_. I just like practicing with him because it's a challenge to fight him, that's all. There's nothing more to it," grumbled Jane.

"Oh. Sure," answered Dragon, with a hint of a teasing tone still in his voice.

"Will you let me change now?" Jane asked bitterly.

"All right, all right, calm down. I was just teasing you," said Dragon lightly as he backed away from the window.

"Thank you," Jane sighed tiredly as she closed the shutters. Sometimes Dragon could be such a pest. And at the wrong moments too. The last thing she wanted on her mind now was anything having to do with romance. Then she spotted the rose.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," she moaned. What a wonderful reminder of the thing she least wanted to think about.

Once Jane had finished changing, she stepped out of her bedchamber, holding the rose. "Ready for breakfast, Dragon?" she asked a little more cheerfully than she had been before.

"Ah, yes," said Dragon. "Say, what's that in your hand?"

"Oh, uh, this?" said Jane, looking embarrassed. "I—I'll tell you later. Right now, let's just get something to eat."

Jane and Dragon headed off to the kitchens to see what Pepper had prepared for breakfast. Dragon said he was in the mood for mutton chops, although he had to admit that was a bit heavy of a meal for breakfast. Jane just laughed half-heartedly. Normally, she would pay more attention to Dragon's comments, but today she was distracted by the rose. Or rather, the question of who had given her the rose. She sighed to herself. She definitely was not going to have a peaceful day, as long as the question kept nagging at her.

Jane managed to hide the rose on her lap all throughout breakfast, and once everyone had finished eating and returned to their duties, she picked it up and showed it to Dragon.

"So, about this," said Dragon awkwardly, pointing at the rose.

"Let's talk somewhere where we can't be overheard," whispered Jane, spying Gunther's head through one of the castle windows. He, of all people, was the last person she wanted to know about this mysterious rose situation.

Dragon nodded and motioned his head toward the tower. Jane nodded in agreement and climbed on Dragon's neck. He took off, and in a few moments, landed gently on the stone pavement of the tower. Jane slid off his neck and sat down on the ground.

"Now, what's this secretiveness all about?" asked Dragon suspiciously, lowering his head to Jane's eye level.

Jane took a deep breath and spilled out the story of how she had found the rose on your windowsill the evening before. When she finished, Dragon looked at her with a smug expression on his face and laid his head on the ground.

"What?" said Jane tightly.

"Looks like Lady Jane has herself a secret admirer," said Dragon in his teasing voice.

"Oh, like that isn't obvious," snapped Jane impatiently. "The real issue is _who_ this 'secret admirer' is."

"Hmm, well, it can't be Smithy—"

"—because he's too old for me," finished Jane in a frustrated tone. "And it's not Rake because he likes Pepper, it's not the prince because he's too young, it's not Jester because if he liked me he'd probably sing songs to me all day instead of give me a rose, and it's not Gunther because he doesn't like me."

"Well, how do you know Jester wouldn't give you a rose?" asked Dragon curiously.

"Well—because a rose is a serious token of affection, and...well...Jester isn't very serious," answered Jane, trying not to sound stupid.

" 'A rose is a serious token of affection'," mimicked Dragon in a high, sing-song voice. "Where did you hear—oh, wait. Your mother."

"Precisely," answered Jane. "And, well, I rather trust her on these sorts of things because she knows about them and I certainly don't."

"Oh, y'mean like courting and love and _secret admirers_—all those sorts of things," said Dragon teasingly.

"Oh, stop it! You're being no help," huffed Jane angrily.

"Sorry, sorry," chuckled Dragon. "Well," he continued, growing serious, "you never know. Jester could be the one."

"Maybe," Jane said thoughtfully. Somehow, she didn't like the thought of Jester being her "secret admirer." She didn't quite understand why—he was a perfectly nice boy and a loyal friend. And he wasn't bad-looking either. There was just something about the idea that Jane didn't like, and whatever it was remained an enigma to her.

"Earth to Jane," said Dragon suddenly, pulling Jane away from her thoughts.

"Oh, what? Sorry," said Jane.

Dragon rolled his eyes. "Daydreaming about _him_?"

"I thought you weren't going to tease me anymore."

"I'm not! I was just saying. Anyway, back to the subject. What about Gunther?"

"Hmph. He wouldn't think twice about me that way," laughed Jane.

"Well, again, you never know," answered Dragon. "All that banter during your sparring sessions might in fact be a sign that he likes you."

It was now Jane's turn to roll her eyes. "Oh, please, Dragon."

"No, really. Some people who fight a lot are actually made for each other. Take the king and the queen, for example."

"Dragon!" cried Jane incredulously. "I can't believe you just said that!"

"Well, it's true, isn't it? They do fight quite a bit."

"But not _that_ much! I'd say Gunther and I quarrel more than they do," said Jane.

"Well, then, that's all the better! You two are just perfect for each other!"

"Oh, do stop," sighed Jane, shaking her head. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Excuse me, but I think I do," retorted Dragon. "You never know!"

"Gunther does _not_ like me, Dragon," chuckled Jane. "Not one tiny bit."

"What's this about me I hear?" asked another voice suddenly. Jane and Dragon whirled around to see Gunther standing just outside the door to the tower platform.

"Gunther!" cried Jane in surprise, blushing in embarrassment. "What—what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," answered Gunther with an almost playful grin. "I was wondering when you were going to come and spar with me."

Dragon snorted in amusement. Jane frowned at him, then turned back to Gunther. "Well, I'm ready now," she said, surprised at how fast her heart was beating at the sight of him.

"All right then. But don't expect to win," he said smoothly. He opened the door and slipped back through.

"Did you hear that, Jane? He was _looking for you_," snickered Dragon playfully.

"Oh...be quiet!"

Jane spent the better part of her day sparring with Gunther, while Dragon looked on with a very self-satisfied expression on his face. Jane tried to ignore his looks, but she always ended up noticing them. She told herself that she shouldn't be bothered by Dragon at all—what did it matter if he thought Gunther liked her if it wasn't really true? There was nothing to worry about. But she couldn't help but think of the possibility...what if Gunther did like her? The thought unnerved her greatly.

It was late in the afternoon when Jane finally returned to her bedchamber. Like the previous day, she was exhausted from both her physical exertion and from hearing Gunther's jeering. She was once again quite ready to take a nap when she saw something on her windowsill.

"It can't be!" she whispered in disbelief.

But it was. Another red rose.


	3. A Revelation, Of Sorts

_Dear Readers,_

_FINALLY, CHAPTER 3!!!!!!!! does a little dance I was going to start a completely new fanfic about Stargate: Atlantis, but then I remembered how much I already have to update and that it would be mean to keep people waiting. So I decided on writing chap 3 instead! I was randomly inspired minutes into writing the first paragraph, and voila! The plot for this chappie just came--I orginally didn't know what I was going to do with it. But God works miracles :D So, I hope you guys enjoy this, and review! _

_Best Regards from a Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga ;-P_

Over the next few days, Jane continued to find rose after rose on her windowsill. Although she was initially shocked and somewhat annoyed at the entire "secret admirer" situation, she suddenly found herself growing to like it. She tried her best to hide the fact that she was hopelessly flattered by receiving a red rose every day, lest someone notice a significant change in her behavior and asked questions. Jane had no desire for gossip to spread about this, although she knew in her heart that the story was bound to get out sometime. Naturally, secrets were never kept for very long within the castle walls.

Jane hadn't ceased her search for the mysterious rose-giver, however. She and Dragon very closely observed every young man in the castle, particularly those whom Jane knew well. But nothing in the boys' behavior seemed to be out of place, so Jane was continually at a loss for more information on her secret admirer.

Since observation hadn't worked, Jane would have to try something else. She spent quite a bit of time in her bedchamber, pondering over a plan, but nothing came to her. Until one day...

Jane was lying flat on her bed, attempting to devise a new plan of action to discover the identity of her secret admirer. As usual, her mind was entirely devoid of ideas. In her hand, she fingered yesterday's rose. She eyed the stubs on the stem where the thorns had once been. Whoever-it-was must've had a gardener cut them off, so she wouldn't prick herself.

_A gardener...like Rake_!

Jane suddenly had an idea.

She found Rake in the garden, tending to some azalea bushes. He didn't seem to notice her, until she tapped him lightly on the shoulder. He spun around in surprise but let out a sigh of relief when he saw that it was only Jane.

"Oh, hello, Jane! I thought you'd gone up to your room to take a nap," Rake said before he turned back around and continued tending to the bushes.

"Well...I did, but I then I realized that I...h-had a question to ask you." _Well, this certainly isn't awkward_, Jane thought sarcastically.

"Oh? And what's that?" asked Rake as he crouched down to tend to the soil.

"Well...I...I was wondering if anyone had come to you for roses lately," answered Jane nervously. _Honestly, what is wrong with me_? _It's just a simple question—it's not like he's going to suspect anything._

Rake chuckled in response. "Lots of people come to me for roses all the time, Jane," he said as he turned his head to look at her.

"Well, I wanted to know if anyone has been coming to get roses...periodically, that is."

Rake suddenly stopped what he was doing and stared at the ground. Jane noticed that his face had gone from warm and friendly to seemingly anxious in a split second. "Rake? Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

"Ummm...uh, yes! Of course," answered Rake quickly, standing up and brushing himself off. A half-hearted grin crossed his face, but Jane could still see a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

"Someone _has_ come to you. Daily, I presume."

"I...uh...well..." Rake trailed off and looked away, absent-mindedly scratching the back of his head.

"Rake. Don't lie to me," said Jane sternly, putting her hands on her hips.

Rake reluctantly lifted his eyes up to meet hers. "Oh...all right!" he sighed as he let his arm flop to his side. "Someone has been coming to get roses from me every day for the past week. But that's all I can say!"

Jane let the information sink in. So...Rake knew who her secret admirer was!

"Who is it, Rake? You know all about it, don't you?"

"I—uh—yes, I do," he muttered, obviously frustrated. "But I can't tell you who it is. I promised I wouldn't say anything!"

Jane scowled. She didn't want to force the information out of Rake, but she felt surprisingly desperate. She hated leaving mysteries unsolved—she was the type to always sort out a problem when there was one. And when she was so close to solving this one...turning away the opportunity would be unbearable.

"Please, can't you just give me a hint?" she pleaded.

"I can't, Jane. I'm sorry. I made a promise." Rake eyed her apologetically.

Jane sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I understand. Thanks, though." She turned away to leave, but Rake's voice suddenly stopped her.

"He's bound to reveal himself in due time," Rake called. "All secret admirers do."

Jane smiled slightly. What Rake said did seem to be true. "Thank you, Rake," she said sincerely. Then she began walking back to her bedchamber.

Jane was passing through the archway to Smithy's courtyard when someone suddenly crashed into her, abruptly knocking the wind out of her and toppling her to the ground. For a minute, Jane lay on the dirt, stunned. But she was even more stunned when the person who had run into her lifted his head.

"Gunther?!"

Gunther's mouth dropped open, and he stared at her for a moment, a mixture of fear and bewilderment crossing his face. Jane, confused as to why he was looking at her like that and why he wasn't moving, opened her mouth to say something more. But before she could, Gunther hastily extricated himself from her and stood up. He offered his hand, which Jane gratefully took as she pulled herself back up onto her feet.

"Are you all right?!" cried Gunther worriedly.

"I'm fine, really," answered Jane as she brushed the dirt off her. She looked down, suddenly trying to hide a blush—a blush which was startlingly not coming from embarrassment at having been knocked to the ground. "What were you in such a hurry for?"

"I-I'm so sorry," Gunther stammered breathlessly. "I was...going to see Rake. About...something...urgent."

Jane looked up at him. He looked a complete wreck. His eyes were as wide as walnuts. He was biting his lip. He seemed shaky, and his face was twisted in anxiety—much like Rake's had been a few minutes before, but worse.

"Gunther, are you sure _you're _okay?" Jane asked, more than a little shocked at his uncharacteristic behavior.

"What? Who, me? Oh—oh no. I'm fine." He forced a sideways smile onto his face to try to appear as normal as he could, but it didn't convince Jane.

"You look...to be honest...a bit unwell. You're sure you're all right?" Jane stepped a little closer to him, her eyes wide with concern.

"Yes!" Gunther cried suddenly, jumping backward. "I mean, yes. Really, I'm all right. But I have to, um, go." He turned to leave. "Sorry about that, again—knocking into I mean," he called over his shoulder.

"Uh, all right—as long as you're sure you're fine!" Jane called as Gunther sprinted away.

_That was very strange_, Jane thought as she continued walking back to her bedchamber. _I do hope he's all right—Gunther's never that nervous about _anything. Jane didn't think much on the encounter until a stunning realization hit her. She whirled around and stared back at the archway to the garden. Gunther had said he was going to see Rake about "something urgent". Could it really be...?

"No, it can't," Jane told herself, shaking her head.

But for some reason, she hardly believed herself.


	4. The Moment I Said It

_Dear Readers, _

_After almost a year, I've updated!! Finally!! I'm sorry for the long hiatus; I had writer's block, plus I've been incredibly busy--plus an unexpected obsession with Stargate: Atlantis was suddenly awakened and I got kind of preoccupied with that for a while...not to mention school, applying for colleges, a band trip to Disney world, and the school musical (HSM!!! No, I don't love it, I hate it). Anyway, I deeply apologize, but here is the next chap...I got hung up b/c I didn't know where to go with it...but I think I finally figured out how I'm going to get the plot to progress from here, so I hope I can update sooner now! Thanks again to all your support and reviews, and to the reviewer whose name escapes me who reminded me how bad Dragon is with keeping secrets, you're to thank for the first part of the chap! Btw, I've decided to give the Chaps names--this one is called "The Moment I Said It" b/c I realized how much it related to Imogen Heap's song by the same title while I was writing the end of it. Anyhoo, hope you enjoy; I'm sorry if any of the characters are OOC--but, I assure you, I'm trying to get into a different side of Jane that we don't usually see, and Gunther is supposed to be acting weird in this story anyway. Well, I'd better let you guys go; Thanks so much for the support!_

_Best Regards from a Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga ;-P_

* * *

After the incident with Gunther, a very confused Jane had returned to her room. She had expected to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep after all the exhaustive training she'd gone through that day, but instead, images of Gunther were swimming before her closed eyes throughout the entire two-hour duration of her nap. When she awoke, she was quite bothered about the fact that she'd dreamt about _Gunther_ of all people...although a voice in the back of her mind kept insisting that she knew exactly why she had had dreams of him. Jane shook off those thoughts, though, as she headed down to the kitchens for dinner; it would not do well to brood over such things around her friends, for they were bound to notice that something was wrong, and that would lead to questioning.

She leisurely walked to the table, enjoying the cool summer's night air and late sunset. She could sniff the sharp scent of Pepper's food before she even arrived at the courtyard, and she could also hear Dragon's voice babbling on quite excitedly about something to her friends. She smiled at the homely, cozy atmosphere; it was peaceful nights like these spent in good company that always warmed her heart, no matter how stressed or upset she was feeling that day.

As Jane neared the table, she began to overhear some of Dragon's exuberant conversation. The words she picked up indicated that he was talking about her; but, she didn't worry at first, for Dragon talked about her all the time. So she continued walking casually until something Dragon said suddenly stopped her dead in her tracks.

"_And_ she's been getting roses from him every day for the past week. We have absolutely no clue who it is..."

Jane's mouth instantly went dry. Dragon hadn't said...what she thought she'd heard...had he?

"We've gone through all the possibilities, but she refuses to believe it's anybody we all know, least of all one of you."

He _had_!

Anger welled up inside her, and even worse, extreme embarrassment. Jane couldn't stand to have her private life being advertised to anyone else, even if those people were her friends and would never dream of ridiculing her. If she wanted to tell them something, _she_ would herself. It was no one else's place to do so—not even Dragon's! Jane marched indignantly over to the great green lizard and placed her hands on her hips furiously.

"_Dragon_?!" she cried incredulously, controlled fury vibrating in her voice.

The giant green lizard whirled his head around, and when his eyes found Jane standing there, fuming, his face contorted into one of utter shock and shame.

"J-J-Jane," he stammered. "I had no idea—"

"You had no idea that I was right behind you, nor do you have any idea of how to keep a secret!" yelled Jane heatedly.

The assortment of friends around the table—Smithy, Pepper, Jester, and a now very sick-looking Rake—gasped in surprise. "This was supposed to be a _secret_, Dragon?" asked Pepper, stunned.

Dragon opened his mouth to say something—probably to make an excuse—but he caught a glimpse of the enraged Jane standing below him and thought better of it.

"_Yes_, it was supposed to be a secret!" cried Jane angrily. "I didn't want anyone to know about it because...because it's _private_, that's what, and I don't want absurd rumors flying around the castle!" She stared daggers at Dragon again. "You _promised _you wouldn't tell!"

"I-I-I...well...thought it would be okay if I told our friends...I mean, it's not like they're going to spread this now, are they?" Dragon eyed their friends nervously. "I...I mean, I couldn't help myself—"

"Dragon! You know better than to make that excuse!"

"B-b-but it would've gotten out eventually—"

"Yes, eventually, but not so soon!" Jane interrupted again, her temper rising dangerously. "Now the whole castle is going to know that _Lady Jane_ has a secret admirer before I even find out who it is! And they'll start spreading things about who it might be, and then people will start creating their own little _love scandal_ stories!"

"I-I'm sorry—"

"You're sorry now, but it's not going to be able to change anything anymore. Who knows who else overheard you?!"

Dragon hung his head. "I'm sorry, Jane, I really am."

Jane just let out a frustrated sigh. "Well...I'm not hungry anymore, so I guess I will just return to my quarters and sleep for the night," she said much more softly, yet dejectedly. "I apologize, everyone, for...that. I shall see you in the morning." And with that, she spun on her heel and walked briskly away under the weight of a very uncomfortable silence.

Jane couldn't believe it. Dragon had broken his promise. True, he was a babbler, but she had thought she had made it perfectly clear to him the seriousness of keeping the whole affair a secret. He understood her better than anyone else, and he knew how wary she was of allowing anyone to catch a glimpse of her vulnerabilities—if admitting that she was thrilled to have someone be in love with her even _was_ a vulnerability. Maybe, just maybe, she thought it would betray too much...sentimentality in her. Yes, yes, that was it, she convinced herself. Too much sentimentality wasn't good for a budding knight. _A good knight needs to have a sound mind, clever wit, and brute strength_, Jane told herself firmly. _But...it _is _sweet...think of it, he's gone out of his way for an entire week just to give me roses..._ Jane suddenly shook her head rapidly, as if that would dispel the little hobgoblin from her thoughts. She was horrified at how easily she'd let herself slip into that other side of her...

"I must be going mad," she grumbled worriedly to herself.

"What was that?"

Jane's head snapped upward, and she gasped in surprise when she saw Gunther standing right beside her in the archway to the garden, looking considerably calmer than he had earlier.

"Gunther? What are you doing here?" she nearly cried out.

"Oh, just practicing some fighting, that's all," he replied nonchalantly, leaning against the side of the archway in a somewhat suave manner.

Jane raised an eyebrow at him. _Just a few hours ago, he is a nervous wreck, but now he is acting...debonair? He's never this erratic. _"Are you sure you are all right?" she asked cautiously.

He chuckled lightly, maintaining a small grin on his face. It was a bit sly, like always, but softer than usual. "You already asked me that today," he replied in a smooth voice. "I assure you that I am fine."

Jane was beginning to grow a bit disturbed at that smile, and the strange way Gunther's eyes seemed to be flickering mischievously at her. The normal Gunther was annoying and sometimes downright awful towards her, but she preferred that behavior over the way he'd been acting all day. "Are you trying to play some trick on me?" She squinted at him in suspicion. "Because if you are, my day has already been ruined, so I don't need any more embarrassment."

At that, Gunther's sophisticated demeanor suddenly snapped into one of uneasy shock. "What happened?" he asked, his voice flooding with worry and surprise, and his eyes wide with what could have been genuine concern.

Jane nearly jumped at the sudden change of appearance. _What on earth...?_ Now he was really scaring her. "Are you absolutely _sure _you're all right?" she inquired with alarm.

"Will you stop asking me that?!" he snapped in annoyance. "I'm _fine_." But after he said so, he started to look queasy and began to shuffle his feet.

Jane eyed him carefully for a moment. His gaze flickered back and forth between her and his feet, which were compulsively kicking up small clouds of dust. His mouth was somewhat crooked, and he was wringing each of his fingers as if he was extremely nervous about something. Something in Jane's stomach commenced tying itself into a knot, until that horrible pang of thought that had struck her earlier, immediately following her collision with Gunther, shot through her again and numbed the feeling in her stomach entirely.

"I—I have to go," she croaked spontaneously after what seemed like a very long and awkward silence, her voice emerging from her mouth like a squeaky gasp or a teary whisper.

She had expected him, in the state he was in, to nod quietly and allow her to walk away. What she hadn't been expecting was for him to act so...unpredictable...for his head to snap upwards and for his eyes to bore into her like they were searing her own, for him to suddenly raise his voice and yell at her as if she had seriously offended him.

"I try to actually have a normal conversation with you, and you're just going to _leave_?!" he nearly screamed, those eyes plunging into her as if they were daggers. "_You're _the one who is always complaining about _me_ being so heartless!"

Jane felt as if she had been slammed up against a wall. The shock of Gunther's reaction stabbed her worse than the shock of hearing Dragon spill her secret. What was wrong with him?

"I-I'm sorry!" she cried out desperately, feeling utterly terrified and confused. "I didn't know you would get so angry—"

"You never know. You wouldn't know at all how I feel, would you?" he spat, interrupting her.

The maliciousness of Gunther's tone felt like a knife twisting somewhere inside her, and she could feel it breaking into that well-hidden raw spot that was so easily damaged by his taunting. That old rage, that old self-defensiveness began to swell within her, slowly easing its way through her whole body.

"Don't patronize me," she muttered softly, but dangerously, her breathing growing more rapid.

"I wasn't patronizing you," hissed Gunther.

"Yes, you were! You _always _do! Talk down to me as if I am more lowly than Smithy's pig—"

"Maybe you are!" Gunther yelled impatiently, cutting her off—only to realize one second later, as his face contorted in horror, what he had just said.

An agonizing silence penetrated the space between them for a moment, as Gunther guiltily watched Jane's green eyes suddenly enlarge in disbelief, her lip begin to quiver, and her nostrils flare shakily...before she unleashed her fury on him in full force.

But, the terrifying thing was, she brought her voice to no louder than a whisper.

"You're worse than I thought," she replied softly, but darkly. "And I thought maybe...you were better than you let on...I was wrong."

Jane intentionally ignored the stunned look of remorse on Gunther's face as she spun around and began rapidly walking away, blinking hot tears away from her eyes. She ignored him calling out to her, apologizing. She ignored him even when she heard his feet pounding on the ground as he ran after her. She ignored him until she felt his hand touch her shoulder barely. She whirled around in a rage, suddenly realizing she was shaking and that the tears were now streaming down her face.

"Don't _touch_ me," she growled in a low voice.

"Jane, please, I don't know what's gotten into me, I didn't mean to imply—you're not as lowly as any—"

"I _said_, don't _touch me_!" she shrieked, wrenching her arm away from him and breaking into a run.

"Jane, _wait_!"

But she ignored him again, and didn't stop running until she stumbled up the stone steps and into her bedchamber, where she flung herself onto her bed and sobbed herself to sleep.


End file.
